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Mother’s Day photography gift list 2015

There never seems to be a shortage of new photography products. Since it’s spring, it’s time to start thinking about Mother’s Day gifts. While flowers are always a nice thought and should be in one hand, how about including a nice framed print for the wall or table in the other hand? Everything is so geared for sharing digital images with a phone or tablet, no one seems to get prints made.

This year, I am going to make a personalized book for my mom with family photos. She had asked for photos and having them nicely assembled in a book is a great way to give an assortment of photos. Really, how many photos can you fit on a coffee mug? I am going to try making a Mosaic Photo Book. It’s an app compatible with iPhones and Androids, which means I can design it while relaxing on my couch. The cost of the 7-inch by 7-inch book is $24 and features a Mosaic style linen cover and is shipped in a very nice looking box.

There are plenty of other options for making books including: Blurb, My Publisher, Apple Photo Books and Costco.
If you think your mom would be interested in a photography gadget, check out my gift list:

1. Fuji Instax WIDE 300 – Fujifilm’s most advanced instant camera, the Instax WIDE 300, with its large size 86 mm by 108 mm photos, a close-up and a zoom lens is a really fun gift. It’s a nice change having the prints ready instantly. Everyone is so used to looking at photos on your phone. The images are some of the best I have seen from this style of camera. The Instax WIDE 300 features a retractable lens, exposure compensation and built-in flash, and runs on four AA batteries. Be sure to buy some additional film so you don’t run out on the holiday. The camera is priced around $160 including two twin packs of film.

2. The Pocket Reflector – Sometimes you just need a little bit of extra light to fill in for the perfect shot, but don’t want to carry a lot of extra gear. The Pocket Reflector from Photojojo is a simple way to add additional light to brighten up a photo. You can reflect light from the sun or window giving you just a little extra sparkle. The 12-inch Pocket Reflector folds down to five inches to fit in a purse, pocket or camera bag. It is priced at $15.

3. Lowepro Passport Sling III – This mid-sized camera bag is perfect for trips around town when you want to carry your DSLR or mirrorless and lens and have room left over for your tablet. The Lowepro Passport Sling III bag has an adjustable shoulder strap with a non-slip pad, which you can wear across the body or on the shoulder. It also features extra exterior for quick access to your small items. The Passport Sling III bag is priced at $59.95.

4. MacPhun Intensify – Sometimes software programs like Photoshop can be a little overwhelming. They can be expensive and difficult to improve your photographs with dazzling effects. For Mac users, MacPhun software Intensify makes it simple to add powerful effects to your photographs with a click of a preset button with its easy to use interface. The presets are grouped into categories: architecture, black and white, creative, detail enhancement, image tune, landscape and soft. Once you find one you use often, it’s simple to make it a favorite. Each adjustment can be put on a separate layer and the amount is controlled with a slider. The software also lets you fine tune each or make your own adjustments with a regular set of sliders. The Intensify software is on sale at the Mac app store for $17.99.

5. Sony a7 II – If you’re interested in buying a present that should make the camera enthusiast in your household happy, this new full-frame mirrorless camera, with its 5-axis stabilization and super high quality 24.3 megapixel resolution, should be able to handle almost any photographer’s needs. The Sony a7 II full-frame mirrorless camera features Wi-Fi/NFC connectivity, 3-inch tilting LCD screen, and can record a7 II HD video at full HD frame rates of 60p, 60i, 30p and 24p. The camera without a lens is priced around $1,499.99.

6. Joby Floating Hand Grip for Action Cameras– The small hand grip will work with the GoPro mount or a 1/4-20-inch tripod thread to fit most other action cameras. It features a floating handle and will work with a standard painter’s pole thread to give you a great amount of flexibility on setting the distance of the camera shot. The Joby Action grip is priced at $24.95.

7. Fotodiox Crystal Camera Paper Weight – This replica of the Leica M9 with a Summicron 28mm f/2 lens would look great on any desk. The two-thirds size crystal replica with all the buttons, knobs and dials comes with a fabric lined box. The Fotodiox Crystal Rangefinder camera is priced at $79.95.

8. Kelly Moore Camera bags – One of my favorite gifts for a mom who enjoys photographing is a camera bag from Kelly Moore. These bag are a combination of a stylized, large shoulder purse you would normally carry, but with compartments for camera gear inside. There are so many styles and colors to choose from to meet most of her needs including carrying a single camera and adding multiple lenses. Depending on the bag, features include: removable baskets, pockets, adjustable dividers, and the options to use it as a messenger bag. Prices vary from are $199 to $229.

9. Nikon 1 J5 – Nikon’s latest addition to its mirrorless camera line is a touch of retro styling mixed with quality and speed. The camera works with its specially designed 1 Nikkor lenses or you can use its DSLR lenses with the optional FT-1 mount adapter. The Nikon 1 J5 will shoot up to 20 frames-per-second making it one of the fastest in its category. The camera features a 20.8-megapixel CX-format CMOS sensor and will take great photos for any occasion including sporting events, portraits or holiday events. The Nikon 1 J5 camera and 1 Nikkor VR 10-30mm f/3.5-5.6 PD Zoom lens is priced at $499.95.

10. Flowers – While a nice bouquet of flowers is always a nice touch and probably the easiest to purchase, of course, don’t look for any bargains this time of year. Flowers are high priced on Mother’s Day and Valentine’s Day. Maybe a combination of flowers and a camera would be a great gift on this special day.

11. Lensbaby Velvet 56– This new manual-focus portrait lens from Lensbaby is designed to give your photographs a more velvety look with a soft glow when using wide open apertures. It’s sharp when you step down to a smaller lens aperture. The Lensbaby Velvet 56 is made for Canon EF, Nikon F and Pentax K digital-single-reflex (DSLR) cameras. The 56 mm F/1.6 lens also shoot macro 1:2 photographs. It’s priced at $499.95.

13. Spring Break Camera Strap from Photojojo – Who doesn’t need a new camera strap? Most of us are using the ones that advertise the camera and came in the box. The Spring Break Camera Strap from Photojojo is a wide, colorful, adjustable cotton strap with soft neoprene back. It also features quick buckles so the strap doesn’t get in the way when you’re working with a tripod. The strap sells for $29.

14. Olympus TG-860 Tough Camera – This camera is great to carry along on any outdoor adventure. The TG-860 Tough is waterproof to 50 feet, shock-proof from a drop to 7 feet and crush-proof up to 220 pounds. It’s the perfect gift for the active, on-the-go mom in your life. It combines an action-style camera with a compact point-and-shoot. It also features a very nice zoom lens with ultra wide 21 mm to 105 mm (35 mm equivalent). Another standout feature is the screen, which flips up 180 degrees to compose your action selfies. The camera is priced at $279.99.

15. Framed prints – This is one of my favorite gifts. It’s very affordable and has a great personal touch. Having your photographs turned into prints is a lost art: Just ask the Eastman Kodak Co. There are so many options here and it really depends on your choice of frame if you’re planning on hanging the photographs on the wall or getting a nice stylized frame